There are various systems known in the prior art which allow for remote control of lighting fixtures without hard wiring control lines to the lighting control devices.
In one prior art system, a user can install a so-called three-way electrical switch, i.e., an additional light control switch, into an existing hard wired single control system by replacing an existing manually operated lighting control device with a lighting control device having a radio frequency receiver incorporated therein. The replacement lighting control device is hard wired into the electrical system in the same way as the conventional device to control the lighting fixture. The radio frequency receiver is responsive to radio frequency signals generated by a remote battery powered switching device having a transmitter which can be conveniently affixed to a building wall at another location, thereby to provide the three-way switch circuit. The additional battery powered lighting control device has a manually operated lever, which when operated, sends an RF signal to the other electrical control device which is hard wired into the building""s electrical system. The hard wired device will then toggle in response from its present state to the opposite state, i.e., from on to off or off to on. Thus, either switching device, the hard wired replacement or the battery powered device, can operate the light fixture. Accordingly, a three-way electrical switch can be provided into an existing electrical system without hard wiring the three-way switch into the system. In this prior art system, having the battery powered transmitting switch and the hard wired switch including the receiver, the hard wired receiving switch includes a whip antenna made from a piece of insulated wire which is allowed to dangle out of the electrical box either outside the building wall or inside the wall. The receiver in the hard wired switch allows only one way of communication i.e., it receives signals from the battery powered transmitting switch. Two-way communication between the hard wired switch and the transmitting switch is not provided.
A system of this type is sold by Heath Zenith as the Reflex switch. Another device of this type, which instead employs a hand-held remote control to provide a three way switching function, is manufactured by Dimango.
In another prior art system an existing hard wired manually operated lighting control device is replaced with a lighting control device having a radio frequency receiver incorporated therein. The replacement lighting control device is hard wired into the electrical system in the same way as the conventional device to control the lamp in a lighting fixture. The radio frequency receiver is responsive to radio frequency signals generated by a remote battery powered control device having a transmitter which can be conveniently affixed to a building wall at another location. The battery powered control device has switches to enable the selection of four different light levels. The switches when operated cause an RF signal to be sent to the electrical control device which is hard wired into the building""s electrical system. The hard wired device responds to the RF signals by adjusting its output to cause the lamp to operate at one of four different predetermined light levels. In addition to responding to RF signals, the hard wired device can also operate in response to the actuation of manually actuated switches incorporated within it. Two way communication between the hard wired device and the battery powered control device is not provided. A system of this type is sold by Leviton as the Anywhere switch.
In another prior art system, known as the X10 system, standard lighting control fixtures are replaced by lighting control fixtures operating via a power line carrier (PLC) communication system, i.e., information for operating the remote lighting control devices is provided over the building existing power line by a power line carrier (PLC). In addition, in some of these systems, an RF communications link is also provided so that a hand held remote control master device can be used to operate the various lighting fixtures. In these systems, an RF repeater may also be provided. In the X10 system, only one way communication is provided so that a master unit is not apprised of the status of the controlled light fixtures. Also, the user is unable to tell if the command by the master was carried out by the lighting control device due to poor communication links caused by noise, burned out light bulbs, etc.
In the X10 system, a radio frequency to PLC bridge is provided to convert radio frequency signals into power line carrier (PLC) communication signals. The RF to PLC bridge plugs into an existing wall outlet and provides the PLC carrier onto the electrical power line to be received by controlled lighting control devices. Typically, the RF to PLC bridge comprises a box which is plugged into an existing wall or electrical outlet and has an antenna for receiving signals from the master controller or a repeater.
In addition to the X10 system, there are also known two-way communications links for providing, in general, home automation. These include the Electronic Industries Association Consumer Electronics Bus (CEBus) (EIAIS-60) protocols for radio frequency media, power line carrier, infrared media and twisted pair media, and the Echelon Corporation LONworks. Intellon Corp. provides transceivers that comply with the CEBus standards for RF and power line carrier. Echelon provides transceivers that comply with their communications protocol. Although these systems in general provide communications links which can be adapted to consumer and home use, none of them provide for the integrated system for controlling electrical devices as described herein.
In addition to the above, a system known as the Smart House supplied by Smart House LP is also available. This system comprises a wired system and, accordingly, would entail expensive alteration and dislocation if applied to the control of electrical fixtures, particularly lighting in a home.
In addition to the above, the assignee of the present application offers systems known as HomeWorks, NetWorks and LuMaster which are hard-wired control systems controlling lighting devices. Although these systems are suitable for new construction, they entail major alteration and dislocation when applied to existing homes.
Also becoming available are wireless local area networks (LANs) for computer systems, which employ radio frequency communication methods ensuring that all nodes of the network can communicate with each other. See, for example, Electronic Design, Jun. 26, 1995, page 55.
The present invention relates to the control of electrical devices, and in particular, electric lamps, from remote locations. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to the control of electrical devices such as electric lamps from remote locations through radio frequency links. In particular, the present invention relates to a system for controlling electrical lamps from remote locations over communications links, e.g., radio frequency links, and which dispenses with any need to alter the internal wiring of the electrical system, i.e., the internal wiring of a building. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to a repeater for such a system for repeating communications signals between components of the system to insure that each component reliably receives communications intended for it.
The present invention provides a system for controlling the status of electrical devices, for example, electric lamps, from a remote location via communication links such as radio frequency links, power line carrier links or infrared links. The present invention allows the status of the electrical devices, e.g., on, off and intensity level, to be transmitted back to a master location. The present invention may employ at least one repeater to help ensure reliable communications between the control devices for the electrical devices, for example, specially adapted lighting control devices in accordance with the invention, and at least one master unit. In the preferred embodiment, the master unit generates a radio frequency signal which is transmitted to and received by either or both a control device, such as a light dimmer, and a repeater, which is provided also to relay the control signals to the control device. The repeater is important in the case where the control device is unable to receive the control signals directly from the master unit. The control device then actuates the electrical device to the desired status, returning a radio frequency signal via an antenna to the master unit or to the master unit via the repeater indicating the true status of the electrical device.
In another embodiment, the invention uses power line carrier signals to communicate from master unit to control device and radio frequency signals to communicate from control device to master unit optionally via a repeater.
Although the present invention is directed particularly to a lighting control system, the present invention can be applied to communication signals relating to the control and status of other devices, for example, communication equipment, motors, audio/visual equipment, computers, appliances, HVAC systems, security systems, etc.
The present invention preferably includes one or more lighting control devices which each include an antenna and a control and communications circuit which activates a controllably conductive device contained within the lighting control device. A controllably conductive device may comprise, e.g. a semiconductor device such as a TRIAC, bipolar transistor, FET, IGBT, etc. or a switch or relay or any other device whose conductive state can be controlled. The lighting control device can also be manually actuable. The lighting control device, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, includes an RF antenna, a transmitter/receiver and a control circuit for processing signals received from a master unit and for communicating status information to the master unit.
The control device preferably fits into a standard electrical wall box, so the antenna which comprises a part of the control device is preferably sized so as to fit within the standard electrical wall box or within the area defined by the faceplate for the opening of a standard electrical wallbox.
According to the invention, the master units can take several forms. In one embodiment, the master unit comprises a table top master which can plug into an electrical outlet, and has a conventional antenna for transmitting and receiving signals. In another form, the master is a wall mount master and is sized such that it fits within the confines of a standard electrical wall box. In either embodiment, the master unit preferably includes a plurality of controls, each associated with a particular electrical control device or a plurality of electrical control devices. As will be explained herein, the association of the electrical control devices to a particular control on the master unit is freely programmable by the user. Further, the master unit may include functions which allow all electrical control devices to be turned on or off simultaneously. In addition, the present invention can include at least one repeater, which helps to ensure that all signals communicated between master and control devices are received by the appropriate receiver, whether the master or the electrical control device. The repeaters employ a repeater sequence for helping to ensure that each receiver receives those signals intended for it.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the repeater is for use in an RF communications system. The repeater transmits information received from a first device and a second device. The first and second devices are adapted both to transmit and receive and the repeater transmits and receives to provide two way communication between the first and second devices. The first device may be, e.g., a master control unit for remotely controlling the status of a plurality of electrical devices, such as electric lamps connected into a hardwired electrical system connected to an electrical power network. The second device may be a control device for the electrical device connected into the .hardwired electrical system. The first and second devices include RF transmitter/receivers for communicating with each other either directly or via the repeater. The repeater helps to assure that communication between the first and second devices occurs despite shadowing, nulls, attenuation, electromagnetic interference and inefficient antennas. The repeater helps to assure reliable communication within the confines of a building and despite stationary interference/attenuation sources, such as walls, building materials, furniture, plumbing, electrical lines, etc. and moving interference/attenuation sources, such as people, animals and water in plumping lines, for example. The repeater is particularly suited for transmitting signals in a communication system located in a confined area, such as a building, and is particularly adapted for transmitting signals in a radio frequency control system for controlling the status of a plurality of electrical devices such as electric lamps connected into a hardwired electrical power network such as the electric system of a building.
A plurality of repeaters can be used as the number of and distance between first and second devices increases. Each repeater has a control circuit for transmitting received information in a defined repeater time slot and in a defined sequence predetermined to ensure that all devices receive the information intended for the device. The sequence does not require knowledge of the order or location of the repeaters to guarantee that each device receives the information intended for the device.
Each repeater includes a circuit for generating a status bit map of all controlled electrical device status information known to it. The status bit map is transmitted to other repeaters with the other repeaters each adding status information known to the particular repeater to the status bit map. After the repeater sequence is complete, the complete status bit map having all status information will be formed ensuring that all repeaters transmit a complete status bit map and all devices receive the information intended for that device. In particular, each master unit will have received the complete status bit map at least once. In order to obtain high reliability, the repeater is spaced more closely than the wider spacing allowed by theory.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a repeater for a system for remotely controlling electrical devices,.for example electric lamps without having to rewire a building""s electrical system.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for an RF communication system for controlling electric lamps and/or other electrical devices which allows a building""s existing lighting system, for example, to be controlled from remote locations without having to rewire the building""s electrical system.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for an electrical control system providing two way transmit/receive communications of radio frequency signals, thereby allowing the reception of signals to operate an electric lamp or other electrical device from a remote location as well as a transmit function to provide back to the remote location the status of the affected electric lamp or electrical device.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for such a system including one or more master units and one or more control devices, for example, dimmers, the latter being installable in standard size electrical wall boxes so that they can be installed retroactively into a building""s electrical system to allow remote control of the control devices.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a control device which is capable of manual action and which transmits a signal regarding the status of the electrical device upon actuation for receipt by a master unit for display thereon.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for a system for remote control of control devices controlling electrical devices, for example electric lamps, which includes at least one master unit having a plurality of controls, each of which is programmably associatable with one or more control devices.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for a system for the remote control of control devices controlling electrical devices, for example light dimmers controlling electric lamps, which allows for reliable two-way radio frequency communications between the control device and the master control unit, such that information is provided by the master unit to a lighting control device to control the status of the associated electric lamp, and information concerning the status of the associated electric lamp is transmitted back to the master unit to be displayed.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for communicating with a control device, the control device including an antenna, a transmitter/receiver, and a control circuit for controlling the actuation of the associated controlled electrical device in response to signals received from a master unit, and which provides communications back to the master unit concerning the status of the controlled device.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for a system for remotely controlling electrical devices, for example, an electric lamp, which includes at least one master unit and at least one control device, and wherein at least one repeater helps ensure that communications between master unit and control devices are received by the respective devices.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for use in an RF communication system.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide such a repeater which transmits received information between a first device and a second device.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater which transmits information between first and second devices wherein the first and second devices are adapted both to transmit and receive communications.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for providing communications between a master control unit for remotely controlling the status of a plurality of electric devices, such as electric lamps connected into a hard wired electrical system connected to an electrical power network, and a plurality of control devices for controlling the electrical devices.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater for use in a system for remotely controlling electrical devices which helps to ensure communication between components of the system despite shadowing, nulls, attenuation, electromagnetic interference and inefficient antennas located in certain ones of the components.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a repeater which helps assure reliable communication within the confines of a building and despite stationary interference/attenuation sources such as walls, building materials, furniture, plumbing, electrical lines, etc.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater which helps assure reliable communication within the confines of a building despite moving interference/attenuation sources such as people, animals, and water in plumbing lines.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater which is particularly suited for transmitting information in a communication system located in a confined area, such as a building, and which is particularly adapted for transmitting information in a radio frequency control system for controlling the status of a plurality of electrical devices such as electric lamps connected into a hard wired electrical power network such as the electrical system of a building.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater which can be used with other repeaters without interference between repeaters and wherein repeaters can be added as the number of components in the system increases.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide such a repeater having a control circuit for transmitting received information in a defined repeater time slot and in a defined sequence predetermined to ensure that all devices receive the information intended for the device.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater which can function with other repeaters according to a defined sequence wherein the sequence does not require knowledge of the order or the location of the repeater to guarantee that each device receives the signals intended for the device.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater including a circuit for generating a status bit map of all electrical device status information known to it and which status bit map is transmitted to other repeaters with the other repeaters each adding status information known to the particular repeater to the status bit map.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide a repeater which can operate with other repeaters according to a sequence to generate a completed status bit map, and once the completed status bit map is formed, to ensure that all repeaters transmit a complete status bit map and all devices receive the completed status bit map and thus the information intended for the particular device.
Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide such a repeater which is used in a system such that the spacing of the repeater from other components is closer than the wider spacing allowed by theory.
The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a repeater for use in a two way communication system for retransmitting information between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two way communication between the devices, the repeater comprising: a transmitter/receiver, the transmitter/receiver receiving information in signals from the first and second devices and transmitting the received information in signals for reception by the respective second and first devices; and further wherein a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices is provided, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable; the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices; the repeater being spaced from said first and second devices by a specified distance, said specified distance being significantly less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices.
According to the preferred embodiment wherein a plurality of second devices are provided, said first device comprises a master unit, said plurality of second devices comprises control devices for controlling respective electrical devices; the master unit transmitting control information to establish a status of respective ones of the electrical devices, the control devices being adapted to respond to selected control information to command the respective electrical devices to a status directed by the control information, the control device generating status information for transmitting to the master unit; the repeater comprising an information combiner for generating combined information on the status of all the electrical devices, the combined information being transmitted for reception at least once by said master unit.
The objects of the invention are also achieved by a method for two-way communication between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two-way communication between the devices comprising: providing a repeater within communication range of each of the first and second devices; receiving information from first and second devices with the repeater and transmitting the received information in respective signals for reception by the respective second and first devices; further providing a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable; the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices; said step of transmitting comprising helping to ensure that information transmitted by the repeater in the respective signals does not interfere with signals transmitted by the first and second devices; and spacing the repeater from said first and second devices by a specified distance, the specified distance being significantly less than a theoretical maximum communication distance thereby to ensure communication reliability between the repeater and each of the first and second devices.
The objects of the invention are also achieved by a repeater for use in a two way communication system for transmitting information between a first device and a plurality of second devices to help ensure reliable two way communication between the devices, the repeater comprising: a transmitter/receiver, the transmitter/receiver receiving information in signals from the first and second devices and transmitting the received information in signals for reception by the respective second and first devices; said first device comprising a master unit, said plurality of second devices comprising local control devices for controlling respective electrical devices; the master unit transmitting control information to establish a status of respective ones of the electrical devices, the local control devices being adapted to respond to selected control information to command the respective electrical devices to a status directed by the control information, the local control device generating status information for reception by the master unit; and the repeater comprising an information combiner for generating combined information on the status of all the electrical devices, the combined information being transmitted for reception at least once by said master unit.
The objects of the invention are furthermore achieved by a method for two-way communication between a first device and a plurality of second devices to help ensure reliable two-way communication between the devices comprising: providing a repeater within communication range of each of the first and second devices; receiving information from first and second devices with the repeater and transmitting the received information in signals for reception by the respective second and first devices; said step of transmitting comprising helping to ensure that the transmitted information in the signals does not interfere with signals transmitted by the first and second devices; wherein the first device comprises a master unit, the plurality of second devices comprise local control devices for controlling respective electrical devices, and further comprising the steps of; transmitting control information at the master unit to establish a status of respective ones of the electrical devices; responding to selected ones of the control information at the control devices to command the respective electrical devices to a status directed by the control information; generating status information at the local control devices for reception by the master unit; generating combined information at the repeater of the status of all the electrical devices; and transmitting the combined information for reception at least once by said master unit.
The objects of the invention are also achieved by a method for communication between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable communication between the first and second devices comprising: transmitting information from the first device in a signal radiated by an antenna at the first device having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted from the first device; providing a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable; providing a repeater with a high efficiency antenna within communication range of each of the first and second devices, the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices; receiving the information from the first device with the repeater and transmitting the information for reception by the second device; spacing the repeater from the first and second devices by a specified distance, the specified distance being significantly less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices; receiving the information at the second device with an antenna having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted from the first device.
The objects of the invention are also achieved by a method for two way communication between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two way communication between the devices comprising: transmitting first information from the first device in a signal radiated by an antenna at the first device having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted from the first device; providing a direct communication path for the first information between the first and the second devices, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable; providing a repeater with a high efficiency antenna within communication range of each of the first and second devices, the repeater providing an additional path for the first information between the first and second devices; receiving the first information from the first device with the repeater and transmitting the first information for reception by the second device; spacing the repeater from the first and second devices by a specified distance, the specified distance being significantly less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices; receiving first information at the second device with an antenna having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted by the first device; transmitting second information from the second device in signals radiated by the antenna at the second device; receiving the second information from the second device with the repeater and transmitting the second information for reception by the first device; and receiving the second information at the first device with the antenna at the first device.